Braiding-machine.



No. 897,551. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908. J. LUNDGREN.

BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOVA, 1903.

7 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908 J. LUNDGREN. BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1903.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVEII T08 C g cflg wdazmm a): \Y

I TTORNE! x W! TNESSESZ No. 897,551. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908. J. LUNDGREN.

BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 4, 1903.

7 SHEETSSHEET 4.

I 1 l i l i I l l i INVENTOR drEfM/noc m WI TNESSES THE nouns Frans coy, WASHINGTON, n. r.

No. 897,551. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

J. LUNDGRBN.

BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4,1903.

'7 SHEETSSHEET 5.

[III mii I/IESSES: INVEIITDR WiuM ra/uw W ar TTOfl/I r.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB LUNDGREN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BRAIDING-MACHINE adelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braldm Machines, of which the following 1s a speci ication.

This invention relates to braiding machines and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient construction and organization of mechanism whereby each thread from one set of thread-supplying devices may be passed entirely around two members of another set of thread-supplyim devices with greater speed than has been heretofore attained.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of my im roved machine. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan t ereof, as seen from the line 2-2 of ig. 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional plan, as seen from above the line 3 3 of Flg. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, as on the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing the threadidin arms moved parallel to the section ine. ig. 6 is an elevation of one of the bobbin carriers. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the paths traversed by the free ends of the threaduiding arms with respect to the upper bobbins, the bobbins being shown by dotted lines and the aths being shown by dotand-dash lines. ig. 8 is a plan view of several of the plates for supporting the bobbin carriers, showing their relative positions and also showin one of the se ments connecting two of the plates to et er. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view showing evelopment of the fabric produced by the machine. Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a development of the fabric that would be produced if one of the upper bobbins were removed from the machine.

The main frame of the machine comprises the bed plate 6 and the standards 7 and 8. Rising from the bed plate is a centrally arranged tubular post 9 to which is fitted the hub 10 of a frame 11 so as to be freely rotatable thereon. Journaled in bearings 12, 13 on the bed plate 6 is the driving shaft 14 which is rovided on its outer end with a suitable riving pulley 15, and on its inner Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Serial No. 179,807.

end with a bevel gear wheel 16 which meshes with a similar wheel 17 on the hub 10 by means of which the frame 11 is rotated.

Extending through the frame llf and arranged at intervals around the hub 10 is a series of freely rotatable vertical shafts 18 each of which is provided with two collars 19 and 20 above the frame 11. The collars 20 support horizontally arranged plates 21 which extend toward each other and terminate before meeting each other thereby leaving 0 en spaces between their adjacent ends. ee Fig. 8.) Formed in each pair of adjacent ends of the plates 21 are upper and lower circular flanges 22 and 23, respectively, which flanges are interrupted by the spaces between the plates 21. The up or flanges 22 form a set of trackways to w ich are fitted a set of semicircular carriers 24 overlapping the trackways and carrying a set of bobbins 25. The Cperipheries of the carriers 24 are provide with gear teeth, and the teeth of each carrier coact with the teeth of a pair of diametrically opposite pinions 26 by means of which the carriers 24 are driven around their respective trackways at a uniform rate of speed, the length of each carrier being such t at its teeth are in engagement with one of the pinions 26 before being disengaged from the other. The pinions 26 are journaled on stud shafts on the plates 21, and are driven by gear Wheels 27 on the upper ends of the shafts 18, the lower ends 0 which are provided with gear wheels 28 which mesh with and are actuated by a fixed gear ring 29 during the rotation of the frame, the gear ring 29 being sup orted on suitable posts 30 rising from the lied plate 6. Thus it will be seen that, when the frame 11 is rotated, the bobbin carriers 24 are not only bodily rotated around the machine but, at the same time, are independently rotated around their respective trackways.

Secured to each shaft 18 between the collars 19 and 20 is an angular thread guiding arm 31 the vertical portion of which clears the ends of the superposed plate 2 1 and passes through the spaces between said ends and the ends of the next adjacent lates 21 when the shaft 18 is rotated. The ree end of each arm 31 is It follows, therefore,

that the paths traversed by the pins 32 of the respective arms 31 intersect each other, and that two adjacent bobbins 25 are not only inclosed by the path traversed by one pin 32 but are also se arately inclosed by the paths traversed by the pins on the respective sides thereof, as indicated in Fig. 7.

The timing of the movement of the bobbin carriers 24 around their trackways with res ect to the movement of.the arms 31 is such tiat, when a I articular arm 31 is passing a articular bob in 25 the carrier 24 of the bobbin will pass over that ortion of its trackway which is within the path traversed by the vertical portion of the arm, and that the same carrier, upon meeting the vertical portion of the next adjacent arm, will pass over that portion of its trackway which is within the path traversed by the vertical portlon of said next adjacent arm. Thus it Wlll be seen that each bobbin 25 is alternately supported within the two paths traversed by the two adjacent rotating arms 31 in order to permit the passage of the arms 31 between the bobbin carriers 24 and through spaces between the adjacent plates 2 1 which is one of the peculiar re uirements of a machine of this character.

epending from the lower ends of the shafts 18 are pins 33 on which are mounted a second set of bobbins 34. The threads from these bobbins pass, first, through suitable tension devices 35 mounted on arms 36 carried by the wheels 28 then up through'vertical openings in the shafts 18 and out through horizontal openings in the collars 19 from which they are guided by suitable eyes along the edges of arms 31 and directed to eyes 37 projecting from the upper portions of the pins 32. The arms 38 project horlzontally toward the axes of rotation of the arms 31 and are provided on their free ends with thread guiding eyes 39; and rotatably mounted on the pins 32 directly beneath the arms 38 are arms 40 which are also rovided on their free ends with thread-gui ing .eyes 41. The arms 40 are held normally against pins 42 rojecting from the arms 38 by the action 0 springs 43 which encircle the ms 32 and are engaged at their respective en s with the arms 31 and 40. The threads fIOIIlrlDhQ bobbins 34 ass from the eyes 37 through the eyes 41 in the arms 40 then through the eyes 39 in the arms 38 from which they are directed to the braiding point 44 which, in the present instance, is the lower end of a centrally arran ed tube 45 through which the product of t e machine passes, and which is supported by an arm 46 projecting downwardly from a fixed shaft 47 which extends between the upper ends of the standards 7 and 8.

As the arms 31 are rotated around their own axes the thread-guiding eyes 39 move toward and from the center of the machine thereby increasing and decreasing the distance between said eyes and the braiding point 44. When the eyes 39 move toward the center of the machine, the free ends of the arms 40 swing away from the free ends of the arms 38 by the action of the springs 43 and thereby take up the slack thread; and when the eyes 39 move away from the center of the machine the free ends of the arms 40 are drawn toward their normal position against the action of the springs 43 for a suceeeding operation. Thus it will be seen that the threads are always under tension, the arms 40 taking up the threads during the movement of the eyes 39 toward the center of the machine and feeding out the threads during movement of the eyes 39 away from the center of the machine.

The bobbin carriers 24 are provided with plates 48 which extend over the flanges or trackways 22 and support the bobbins 25 centrally thereof; to the end that, during the travel of the carriers 24, the bobbins 25 will be merely rotated about their own axes during their bodily rotation about the machine. Rising from the plate 48 are two pins 49 and 50 the upper ends of which are provided with thread guiding eyes 51 and horizontally extending arms 52, respectively. The arms 52 are rotatably mounted on the pins 50 and are provided on their free ends with threadguiding eyes 53 which are adapted to swing toward and from a point directly beneath the eyes 51. The free ends of the arms 52 are held normally away from a position beneath the eyes 51 by the action of springs 54 encircling the pins 50 and engaging the plates 48 and arms 52, suitable stops 55 limiting the movement of the arms 52.

The threads from the bobbins 25 pass first through suitable tension devices 56 carried by the plates 48, then through eyes 57 near the pivot oints of the arms 52 then to and up t iroug 1 the eyes 53 at the free ends of the arms 52 and finally up through the eyes 51 from which they are directed to the braiding point 44.

As the carriers 24 are rotated around their trackways, the thread guiding eyes 51 move toward and from the center of the machine, in consequence of which the distance between said eyes and the braiding point is in creased and decreased. When the eyes 51 move toward the center of the machine, the free ends of the arms 52 swing away from the pins 49 by the action of the springs 54 and thereby take up the slack thread; and, when the eyes 51 move away from the center of the machine, the arms 52 are drawn toward their normal position against the action of the springs 54 for asucceeding operation, thereby maintaining the threads under tension at all times similarly to the operation of the arms 40 hereinbefore described.

The product of the machine passes up through the tube 45 and around a suitable .with the frame 11.

take up wheel 58 which is mounted loosely on the shaft 47. The take up wheel 58 is actuated by a gear wheel 59 fixed to the side thereof and in mesh with a gear wheel 60 on a shaft 61 having its bearings in the standards 7 and 8. One end. of the shaft 61 extends outward ly' and is provided. with a gear wheel 62 which meshes with a gear wheel 63 on one end of a short shaft 64 mounted in a suitable bearing 65. The other end. of the shaft 64 is provided with. a worm wheel 66 which is actuated by a worm. 67 on the upper end of a vertical shaft 68. The lower end of the shaft 68 has affixed thereto a bevel gear wheel 69 which is driven by a similar wheel 70 on the main driving shaft 14, to the end that, when the main shaft 14 is actuated, the take up wheel 58 will be slowly rotated.

It will be observed. that each plate 21 is supported at but one point and that the sup- )ort is rotating about its own axis. Therefore, in order to maintain the plates in fixed relation to each other I provide the following: Rotatably mounted. in the frame 11 between the shafts 18 are shafts 71 corre spending in number with the flanges or track ways 22, the axes of rotation of the shafts 71 being coincident with the centers of the flanges 22 and 23. The upper ends of the shafts 71 are provided with heads 72 which take against t ie top of the frame 1 1 and secured to the heads 72 are collars 73 from the u per surfaces of which. project segments 74. T iese segments are provided with grooves 75 which are fitted to the flanges 23 of the plates 21, to the end that, when the shafts 71 are rotated, the segments 74 will traverse the flanges 23. The shafts 71 are provided on their lower ends with gear wheels 76 which are driven by the gear wheels 28 on the shafts 18, whereby the segments 74 are independently rotated during their bodily rotation The segments 74 extend part way around. the flanges 23 and are so timed with respect to the movement of the arms 31 and carriers 24 as to permit the passage of the arms 31 between the plates, and to extend between and engage the adjacent ends of the plates 21 While the carriers 24 are engaged with but one plate. seen that the adjacent ends of the plates 21 are always connected by either the carrier 24 or the se ments 74 thereby holding said plates rigi 1y together at all times.

It will be observed that the arms 38 carrying the thread-guiding eyes 39 extend toward the axes of rotation of the arms 31 thereby lessening the amount of take up which would be otherwise required for the threads from the bobbins 34.

By the above described construction it will be seen that the bobbins 25 and 34 are maintained in substantially fixed positions relatively to each other and that when power is applied to the driving pulley 15, the rota- Thus it will betion of the wheel 58 will draw the threads through the eyes 39 and 51 from the bobbins 34- and 25 respectively and up through the tube 45. During this operation the threads from the bobbins 25 are being delivered direct to the braiding point, and. each thread from the bobbins 34 is being guided by the arms 3]. entirely around two adjacent bobbins 25, the two bobbins 25 that are inelosed by the path of one thread from the bobbins 34- bcing separately inelosed by the aths of the threads from the adjacent bob ins 34. Thus the threads from the two sets of bobbins 25 and 34 are braided. together upon meeting the braiding point 44 to .ro

cord. the development of which is shown in T ig .1 excepting that the cord. will be provided with a twist due to the bodily rotation of the bobbins with the frame 11.

It will be observed that by making the frame 11 a fixture and rotating the gear ring 29, the machine will produce a cord without the twist above referred to. It will also be observed that by omitting one of the bobbins, the machine will produce a fiat woven fabric such as is illustramj d.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in a desirable and practical form yet I do not limit myself to this particular construction as the same may be greatly modified without departing from the invention.

I claim ,1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a set of bobbin carriers, supporting means therefor having a space therebetween, a set of bobbins thereon delivering threads to the braiding oint, a second set of bobbins, and means or assing the threads delivered from the secon set of bobbins entirely around bobbins of the first named set and between the bobbins ofsaid first named set, and through the spaces between the adj aeent bobbin-supporting means.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination. of a set of bobbin-carriers, supporting means therefor having a space therebetween, a set of bobbins thereon delivering threads to the braiding point, a second set of bobbins, means for assmg each thread delivered from the secon set of bobbins entirely around two bobbins of the first named set, and between the bobbins of said first named set and through the spaces between the adjacent bobbin supporting means.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a set of bobbin carriers, supporting means therefor having a space therebetween, a set of bobbins thereon delivering threads to the braiding point, a second set of bobbins, means for assm each thread delivered from the second set 0 bobbins entirely around two bobbins of the first named set and between the bobbins of the said first named set and through the spaces between the ad acent bobbin supporting means, the ,two bobbins that are inclosed by the path 01" one thread of the second set of bobbins being separately inclosed by the paths of two other threads of the second set of bobbins.

41. In. a machine of the character descri bed, the combination ol" a set oi bobbin carriers, supporting means therefor having a space thercbetwem'i, a set of bobbins thereon delivering threads to the braiding point, a second set of bobbins, a series of thread guides for the threads delivered from the second set oi bobbins, means for independently rotating said guides whereby the threads delivered from the second set of bobbins may be passed entirely around bobbins of the first named set and between. the bobbins of said i'irst named set and through the spaces between the adjacent bobbin-supporting means.

5. In a machine of the cl'iaracter described, the combination of means for sup orting and rotating two sets of bobbins in t 10 same direction and in annular paths around the braiding point, means for directing the threads delivered from one set of bobbins to the braiding point, a series of thread guides for the threads delivered from the other set of bobbins, and means for independently rotating said guides during the bodily rotation of the series, whereby the threads delivered from one set of bobbins may be passed entirely around the bobbins of the other set.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for sup orting and rotating two sets of bobbins in t 1e same direction and in annular paths around the braiding threads de ivered from one set of bobbins to the braiding oint, a series of thread guides for the threa s delivered from the other set of bobbins, means for inde endently rotating said guides durin the b0 ily rotation of the series, whereby the threads delivered from one set of bobbins may be passed entirely around bobbins of the other set, and means for passing the threads of the thread guides between bobbins of the first named set and between the supports therefor.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of bobbins delivering threads to the braiding point, means for supporting said bobbins in substantially fixed positions relative to each other, and means for assing the threads delivered from one set of obbins entirely around bobbins of the other set.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of bobbins delivering threads to the braiding point, means for supporting said bobbins in substantially fixed positions relative to each other, and means including a series of rotating thread guides for assing the threads delivered from one set of obbins entirely around bobbins of the other set.

voint, means for directing the.

10. In a machine of the character (lo-- scribed, the combination. of two sets of bobbins delivering threads to the braiding point, means for independently rotating the threads delivered from one set of bobbins in intersecting paths and means for su )porting each bobbin of the other set within the intersected portions oi the paths traversed by two adjacent rotating threads.

11. In. a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of two part trackways, supports therefor, rotatable carriers on said trackways, a set of bobbins on said carriers (.lelivering threads to the braiding point, a second set of bobbins, means for passing the threads delivered from two bobbins of the second set of bobbins between the parts of one of said trackways and entirely around one of the first named bobbins, and means for actuating said carriers to permit the )assa e of the last named threads around sai bobbins of the first named set.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of two part trackways, supports therefor, rotatable carriers on said trackways, a set of bobbins on said carriers delivering threads to the braiding point, asccond set of bobbins, a

pair of rotating thread-guiding arms each of which is arranged to pass between the parts of one of said trackways and carry a thread delivered from the second set of bobbins entirely around one of the first named bobbins, means for supporting and rotating said arms, and means for actuatin said carriers to permit the threads carried by said arms to pass entirely around bobbins of the first named set.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of two part trackways, rotatable sup orts therefor, rotatable carriers on said tracizways, a set of bobbins on said carriers delivering threads to the braiding point, a second set of bobbins,

thread-guid1ng arms rotating with thesupports, each arm passing between the parts of two adjacent trackways and carrylng a thread delivered from the second set of bobbins, mcans for rotating said arms and supports, and means for actuating said carriers to permit the threads carried by said arms to pass entirely around bobbins of the first named set.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a series of twopart trackways, rotatable supports therefor, a rotatable se ment adapted to coaet with the arts of cae 1 trackway to hold the latter in iixed relative position, rotatable carriers on said trackways, a set of bobbins on said carriers deliverin threads to the braiding point, a second set of bobbins, thread-guiding arms rotating with the su ports, each arm passing between the parts 0 two ad jaeent trackways and carrying a thread delivered from the sec ond set of bobbins, means for rotating said arms and supports, means for actuating said carriers, and means for rotating said segments, whereby the threads carried by said. arms may be passed entirely around bobbins of the first named set.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of bobbins delivering threads to the braiding point, a series of rotatable arms for guiding the threads delivered from one set of bobbins around bobbins of the other set, said arm extending outwardly to inclose a bobbin within its path of rotation and then inwardly toward its axis of rotation, and means for rotating said arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 16. In a braiding machine of the kind described, two sets of strand supplies one comprising fliers and the other comprising carriers and tracks carrying said carriers, each track having a gap in its periphery for the passa e of said fliers about said carriers, as descri ed.

17. In a braiding machine of the kind described, two sets of strand supplies one comprising rotary fliers and the other comprisin carriers, in combination with tracks, eac track carrying a carrier capable of rotation about its periphery and having a gap in its periphery whereby a flier in its rotation may cross the path of said periphery and pass around the carrier carried by said track, as described.

18. In a braiding machine of the kind described, means for making an interlocking twist comprising two sets of strand supplies one comprising fliers and the other comprising carriers and tracks carrying said carriers, each track having a gap in its peri hery for the passage of said fliers about sait carriers,

and. means for giving a twist to the braided strands, as described.

19. In a braiding machine of the kind described, means for making an interlocking twist comprising two sets of strand supplies one comprising rotary fliers and the other comprising carriers, in combination with tracks, each track carrying a carrier capable of rotation about its periphery and having a gap in its periphery whereby a flier in its rotation may cross the path of said periphery and pass around the carrier carried by said track, and means for giving a twist to the braided strands, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB LUNDGREN.

Witnesses:

RALPH F. GAMBLE, ANDREW V. GROUP). 

